Woods arraigned

Susan Morse

Friday

Jun 29, 2007 at 2:00 AM

BRENTWOOD — Deborah Woods, 52, of Stratham, sat quietly through her arraignment Thursday, the first time she has been seen in criminal court since her former employer accused her of embezzling more than $100,000 from the firm last June.

BRENTWOOD — Deborah Woods, 52, of Stratham, sat quietly through her arraignment Thursday, the first time she has been seen in criminal court since her former employer accused her of embezzling more than $100,000 from the firm last June.

Rockingham Superior Court Judge John Lewis set bail in the amount of $2,500 cash and $150,000 personal recognizance on five felony charges of theft, forgery and fraud. Lewis said the $150,000 reflects the estimated amount Woods is accused of taking from her late husband's law firm, Gage & Woods PLLC in Exeter.

Stephen Woods, a partner in the firm, was presumed dead after disappearing at sea from the family sailboat, Niobe, in October 2005.

Woods, who is free on bail, had no comment after the arraignment. Her temporary attorney Lisa Wolford said the next step is for the court to set a scheduling conference. The soonest trial could take place is October or November, Wolford said.

Woods showed up at court without an attorney and Wolford stepped in to represent her just before the arraignment. The court clerk asked her to do so, according to Wolford, which is not unusual in cases where a defendant comes to court without representation.

Woods had filed a motion to continue the arraignment date, which was opposed by the prosecutor and denied by the court. As she was indicted June 6, Lewis said it did not give her much time to find an attorney.

Woods was indicted on three counts of theft, one count of forgery and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card, charges arising from her employment as a part-time bookkeeper at the Gage & Woods firm between January 2004 and June 2006. She also worked part-time for the Sutherland Law Office PLLC in Exeter.

Attorney Thomas Gage, who brought a civil lawsuit against Woods, claims in court records that he discovered money missing as he was prepared to distribute more than $600,000 left in the will of the late Grace C. Fogg of Seabrook.

Woods embezzled more than $110,000 from the account, according to Gage's court records and tried to cover it up by depositing $109,389.24 that she "purloined" from the Sutherland law office.

Woods used Gage's credit cards, made fake entries into the law firm's ledgers, and took funds from the Fogg estate fund, knowing there would be a shortfall, alleged prosecutor and Assistant Attorney General John M. Gasaway Jr.

Gasaway had asked the judge to set bail at $25,000 cash and $100,000 personal recognizance, saying the four Class A felony charges and one Class B felony count made Woods a flight risk. He also requested Lewis order Woods not to leave the state.

Wolford said Woods voluntarily surrendered her passport. Woods has held a job for the past year in Massachusetts. Her employer, who was not named during the proceeding, is aware of charges against her, Wolford said, submitting to the judge a letter of reference from Woods' employer.

Woods also wants to travel to the Bay State to see her son and daughter-in-law, who are expecting Woods's sixth grandchild in two months, Wolford said.

"She works about 40 hours a week," Wolford said. "Miss Wood has been contending these allegations for a year since June 2006, when she was contacted by the Exeter Police Department."

Woods has no prior criminal history and Wolford said she has not fled to date, has been a resident of New Hampshire for 33 years, has owned her present home since 1999, and has five children, four of whom live in state.

Wolford asked for $2,500 cash bail and set no amount for personal recognizance bail, which Woods would be expected to pay if she broke bail conditions.

Lewis allowed for Woods to travel to Massachusetts for work and to see her family. He set conditions of bail, as requested by Gasaway, that Woods have no contact with former employers Gage and attorney Ronald Sutherland; that she have no contact with Gage's employee Deb Baillargeon; or Nancy Hunter, whose signature Woods is accused of forging. She is also ordered to stay away from the Exeter law offices, at 28 Front St. and 177 Water St. As a condition of bail, Woods is to remain employed.

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